In 1804, Benjamin Morgan purchased land in Plaquemines Parish, near Braithwaite, and started growing sugarcane and orange trees. Mr. Morgan had migrated from Philadelphia and, later, when his son, Thomas, decided to build a home, he chose prominent Philadelphia architect, William L. Johnston, to design the house. Construction was completed in the late 1840's. The Orange Grove Plantation house was notable because it was the only Gothic Revival mansion built in antebellum Louisiana. It, also, had elements of English Tudor, causing it to be described as "a proper English manor house that looked as if it had been set down on the Louisiana landscape by mistake." The house was unusual on the inside, as well as the outside. It featured unique plumbing and heating systems and was said to be one of the most technologically advanced buildings of the time. The Morgan family sold the plantation in 1876, but I understand that it was abandoned in the 1880's. The land was eventually purchased by Southern Railway in the 1950's, but apparently no work was done on the house to restore it or even keep it standing. The condition of the home was allowed to slowly deteriorate and, ultimately, in the 1980's, the house was destroyed by a fire set by vandals. A sad ending for a unique and historic home. -- Nancy |
Orange Grove Plantation Plaquemines Parish, LA |
Photo Credits: Wikimedia.Commons & Rmistrot#1, Rmistrot#2, Rmistrot#3; and ThelmaHechtColemanMemorialCollection@TulaneUniversity The link to this page is: http://old-new-orleans.com/NO_Orange_Grove.html Back to Old New Orleans Whispers - Home |
Architect's drawing from original blueprint, ca. 1847; photo at top of page was taken in 1889. |
The photos below aren't dated, but I've tried to place them in chronological order, earliest first, based on the condition of the house. |
Rear view |
Interior shot of the front hallway |
Nature had started to reclaim it before it met its end. |